Dozens of police officers gathered at the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday ahead of the court appearance of hip-hop artist Molemo Maarohanye, known as Jub Jub, and co-accused Themba Tshabalala.
A large number of community members and local school pupils were expected to protest against a bail application for the pair, who are facing four murder charges.
By 7.45am, people were slowly making their way to the court house in rainy conditions, while police monitored the situation.
Several journalists and photographers were setting up their camera equipment.
The situation was calm.
Last week, protesting high school pupils threw stones at the police van transporting the accused.
Maarohanye and Tshabalala face murder charges after four school pupils were killed and two critically injured during what was described as a drag-racing incident in Soweto, Johannesburg, last week.
They face four charges of murder, two of attempted murder and one each of reckless driving and drunken driving.
At their first appearance last Wednesday, State prosecutor Liezl van Jaarsveld told the court the two were allegedly racing in a residential area with many pedestrians, on a two-way street during peak-hour traffic.
She asked for a seven-day postponement to allow the state to obtain statements from witnesses and to conduct technical investigations on the two cars involved.
Defence counsel Ike Motloung opposed the postponement, but it was granted by magistrate Brian Nemavhadi.
The Star reported on Wednesday that African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema visited Jub Jub in prison on Monday morning, quoting several correctional services officials.
ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu told Sapa he knew nothing about the visit. — Sapa